With winter just around the corner, the issues of mountain safety and avalanche risk are once again very topical concerns. The avalanche airbag specialist ABS, based in Gräfelfing near Munich, is feeling confident about the new season. The extensive steel cartridge recall campaign and related difficulties have now been overcome. Managing Director Peter Aschauer is positive about the future and apologises to customers for the inconvenience caused.

Last winter, ABS recalled all ABS TwinBag systems with steel cartridges after discovering that isolated steel cartridges were being contaminated by processing residue during the filling process at the cartridge supplier voestalpine Rotec in Austria. This could have potentially damaged the ABS system during activation and prevented any subsequent deployment. The steel cartridge supplier has now succeeded in carrying out a faultless checking and refilling operation. Sufficient supplies of steel cartridges for the entire season are now once again available and ABS is fully able to meet deliveries. In total, around 40,000 systems have been checked, with 90 affected products being repaired. Some 72,000 steel cartridges are being checked and cleaned as a precautionary measure. "Although just 0.2% of all returned systems were affected, we are convinced that a complete recall was the right decision. The period in the middle of the season placed a lot of pressure on many people. We would therefore like to say a special thank you to sports retailers for their very strong support," said Managing Director Peter Aschauer.

All customers who have not yet sent back their ABS systems and cartridges are urged to do so as soon as possible to ensure rapid processing before winter.

ABS Peter Aschauer GmbH is a dynamically growing, owner-managed company based in Gräfelfing near Munich. The company's production operation is located in Gottfrieding, Lower Bavaria. For 30 years, the ABS avalanche airbag has been the original product, sold in 25 countries worldwide. Field-tested on hundreds of occasions, the ABS system works where it counts: in the avalanche. In the event of an avalanche, it can help to prevent burial and therefore significantly increase the chances of survival. ABS' success and market leadership are underpinned by innovation and stringent quality standards.